Valve Cover Gasket leak..

ValkenDnB

Senior Member
First Name
Luis
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
828
Reaction score
469
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
Civic
Country flag
Recently checked my intake filter to see if it was dirty and noticed a thick build up of burnt oil around my valve cover gasket. Took it into my local Honda dealer, they said it was “the first they’ve seen that happen to an Si.” They say to leave it because they have to run compression tests to see if not sketching else as well.
I get a call to come pick up the car since it’s ready. Advisor shows me the gasket and says nothing was wrong with it whatsoever and they don’t know what the issue is/was or why it even happened. Starts to blame my PRL stage 1 intake saying “it’s pulling too much air and pushing the oil out.” Yeah… lmao

Even though it got fixed under warranty, I’m curious if this has happened to anyone else? Is there a way to prevent this? Why did it happen? Just a bad valve cover gasket even though it was completely fine? Would rather get rid of the car if it’s going to start causing more issues.
Sponsored

 

ManitobaSI

Senior Member
First Name
Scott
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Threads
21
Messages
1,268
Reaction score
2,410
Location
Manitoba, Canada
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic SI
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Recently checked my intake filter to see if it was dirty and noticed a thick build up of burnt oil around my valve cover gasket. Took it into my local Honda dealer, they said it was “the first they’ve seen that happen to an Si.” They say to leave it because they have to run compression tests to see if not sketching else as well.
I get a call to come pick up the car since it’s ready. Advisor shows me the gasket and says nothing was wrong with it whatsoever and they don’t know what the issue is/was or why it even happened. Starts to blame my PRL stage 1 intake saying “it’s pulling too much air and pushing the oil out.” Yeah… lmao

Even though it got fixed under warranty, I’m curious if this has happened to anyone else? Is there a way to prevent this? Why did it happen? Just a bad valve cover gasket even though it was completely fine? Would rather get rid of the car if it’s going to start causing more issues.
valve cover leaks are a known common issue on the tenth gen. This would be no surprise. I wouldn’t worry at all. The gasket could have just moved slightly during original build, or slightly not enough hondabond in a corner. There are a few known common leak areas, and this should be no surprise to a dealer as they would have had more cases.
 

dark_knight097

Senior Member
First Name
Daniel
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Threads
7
Messages
489
Reaction score
412
Location
Georgia
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si
Country flag
Starts to blame my PRL stage 1 intake saying “it’s pulling too much air and pushing the oil out.” Yeah… lmao
Did he really look you in your eyes and say that? Omg ?
 

fabrizzio71

Senior Member
First Name
Matthew
Joined
Oct 18, 2018
Threads
30
Messages
380
Reaction score
272
Location
United States
Vehicle(s)
2018 Civic SI Coupe White Orchid Pearl
Country flag
Recently checked my intake filter to see if it was dirty and noticed a thick build up of burnt oil around my valve cover gasket. Took it into my local Honda dealer, they said it was “the first they’ve seen that happen to an Si.” They say to leave it because they have to run compression tests to see if not sketching else as well.
I get a call to come pick up the car since it’s ready. Advisor shows me the gasket and says nothing was wrong with it whatsoever and they don’t know what the issue is/was or why it even happened. Starts to blame my PRL stage 1 intake saying “it’s pulling too much air and pushing the oil out.” Yeah… lmao

Even though it got fixed under warranty, I’m curious if this has happened to anyone else? Is there a way to prevent this? Why did it happen? Just a bad valve cover gasket even though it was completely fine? Would rather get rid of the car if it’s going to start causing more issues.
My 2018 Si had a valve cover leak pretty soon after new. I eventually got it replaced under warranty, and have never seen a drop since. I am now at almost 83k miles. Sounds like a shitty dealer, the one I went to didn’t question it at all. Who knows what the problem was with the first one?
 

gtman

Senior Member
First Name
Mitch
Joined
Oct 27, 2015
Threads
328
Messages
16,676
Reaction score
24,361
Location
USA
Website
www.civicx.com
Vehicle(s)
2017 Cosmic Blue EX-L Sedan
Vehicle Showcase
2
Starts to blame my PRL stage 1 intake saying “it’s pulling too much air and pushing the oil out.” Yeah… lmao
Because you basically added a drop-in filter? How stupid did he think you were? Wow.
 


Romeoridgee

Honda Dealer Tech.
First Name
Rob
Joined
Mar 7, 2019
Threads
36
Messages
1,791
Reaction score
823
Location
Maryland
Vehicle(s)
19 SPT 17 EX-T 08 LX 21 CRV 12 Acc 14 328I CONV
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
As a dealer perspective… seeping valve cover gaskets are a common thing to see in the shop.
 
OP
OP
ValkenDnB

ValkenDnB

Senior Member
First Name
Luis
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
828
Reaction score
469
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
Civic
Country flag
valve cover leaks are a known common issue on the tenth gen. This would be no surprise. I wouldn’t worry at all. The gasket could have just moved slightly during original build, or slightly not enough hondabond in a corner. There are a few known common leak areas, and this should be no surprise to a dealer as they would have had more cases.
That gives me a little bit more piece of mind coming from you since I kept up with your build on IG.I was starting to think my car was built on Friday and I had a lot more issues coming
 
OP
OP
ValkenDnB

ValkenDnB

Senior Member
First Name
Luis
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
828
Reaction score
469
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
Civic
Country flag
Did he really look you in your eyes and say that? Omg ?
Not even joking. So I explained to him that all it did was provide smoother flow and he went off about me voiding my warranty with it. I just told him if it voided my warranty then why did he replace my valve cover under warranty if the tech saw it too ?

I had my 27won exhaust in my trunk with my back seats down too and he goes “Oh we saw your muffler, you can damage your car with that, we recommend something that’s HoNdA CeRtIfIeD.”

now that kinda made me mad and I let him know that whatever I had in my trunk was the least of his business since it wasn’t on the car and probably isn’t even for the car so it wasn’t an issue and that it was called an exhaust not a muffler. I came in for a valve cover issue not for his opinion on something in my trunk.
 
OP
OP
ValkenDnB

ValkenDnB

Senior Member
First Name
Luis
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
828
Reaction score
469
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
Civic
Country flag
My 2018 Si had a valve cover leak pretty soon after new. I eventually got it replaced under warranty, and have never seen a drop since. I am now at almost 83k miles. Sounds like a shitty dealer, the one I went to didn’t question it at all. Who knows what the problem was with the first one?
I’m at 24,500mi now, I drive a lot so I was concerned about it. I’ve never had an issue with any other tech’s aside from this concerned one. It’s a family owned Honda dealer so it’s a lot better to negotiate with them than the huge one near me that’s corporate owned and only care about how much mark up they can add and get you to pay.
 
OP
OP
ValkenDnB

ValkenDnB

Senior Member
First Name
Luis
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
828
Reaction score
469
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
Civic
Country flag
Because you basically added a drop-in filter? How stupid did he think you were? Wow.
Can’t wait to see what they tell me about my 27won RMM right now that I change my oil there in a little.
 


OP
OP
ValkenDnB

ValkenDnB

Senior Member
First Name
Luis
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Threads
26
Messages
828
Reaction score
469
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
Civic
Country flag
As a dealer perspective… seeping valve cover gaskets are a common thing to see in the shop.
Figured so. My brother in laws 2020 civic sport sedan had the same issue after a road trip to WA. They replaced it no questions asked over there and had it ready quickly. Struck me weird because I figured those K20’s were essentially bulletproof even if they weren’t high revving like they used to be.
 

Romeoridgee

Honda Dealer Tech.
First Name
Rob
Joined
Mar 7, 2019
Threads
36
Messages
1,791
Reaction score
823
Location
Maryland
Vehicle(s)
19 SPT 17 EX-T 08 LX 21 CRV 12 Acc 14 328I CONV
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Figured so. My brother in laws 2020 civic sport sedan had the same issue after a road trip to WA. They replaced it no questions asked over there and had it ready quickly. Struck me weird because I figured those K20’s were essentially bulletproof even if they weren’t high revving like they used to be.
I also did mine
 

meclaymore

Member
First Name
C
Joined
Sep 28, 2019
Threads
3
Messages
21
Reaction score
20
Location
Toronto
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si
Country flag
My valve cover was also seeping a little oil at around 60k KMs. It was a very slow leak of oil so I wasn't too worried. I re-did the valve cover gasket on my own a couple months back and it has been clear every since.
Sponsored

 


 


Top